Golf-ball.



Am1.-sm,aa7. Y Patented Apr. n, |902.

E. KEMPVSHALL. GOLF BALL.

l (Application led Nov. 23, 1901.) (un usuali) Y .um v

` WITNESSES:

llnrrnn Sfrntrns linrnnr einen@ ELEAZER KEMPSI-IALL, OF BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE KEMISI-IALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GOLF-BALL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,88*?,dated April 1, 1902.

Application filed November 23,1901. Serial No. 83,356. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, ELEAZER KnMrsHALL, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGolf-Balls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to playing-balls, and especially to the varietythereof used in the game of golf; and its objects are to improve theconstruction and increase the durability of the ball and also to reducethe cost of its manufacture.

In my pending application, filedSeptember 25, 1901, Serial No. 76,814,is illustrated a ball constructed with a celluloid shell and filled withgutta-pei'cha, which is held under compression by the shell, theconstant elastic outward pressure of the core tending to restore thespherical shape of the ball when distorted by a blow, so that the corenot only affords a yielding backing for the shell, but also coperatestherewith to enhance the liveliness or flying power of the ball. In saidapplication I illustrate the shell as made of he mispherical segments,which when hot are compressed over a core, the edges ofthe segmentsbeing welded or fused together and forming a com-A plete shell, thecompressing and heating operation serving a threefold purpose'uviz., to

weld the segments together, to solidify and toughen the celluloid, sothat it becomes prac` p tically indestructible, and also to place thecore under compression. ln producing'balls in accordance with theinvention set forth in said application care is taken to form a perfectweld at the joint of the segments, so as to insure that the shell willnot split open at the joint when subjected to severe usage in the game.Care is also taken to prevent the mass confined within theshell-segments from squeezing out between the edges thereof at thecompressing operation, since the presence of gutta-percha upon the edgestends to interfere with the weldingthereof. It is also found that theheating to which the green segments are subjected at the compressingoperation tends to liberate or volatilizea portion of their substanceupon the inner side of the shell, where it may subsequently react andtend to weaken or deteriorate portions of the shell itself.

Moreover, the raw celluloid must first be reduced to sheet form and thencut up into sections and then formed into shell-segments, all of whichoperations incur expense.

One purpose of my present improvements is to make a seamless shell andnot only obviate the necessity of carefully welding the thin edges ofthe segments together, but also producing a shell which is not liable tosplit open at the joint, since there is no joint. I also save the costof first forming the raw celluloid compound into sheets, then cuttingthe sheets into disks, and then cupping them, so as to form segments.Moreover, l minimize the liability of any portion of the celluloidcompound volatilizing within the shell, so that injury to the latterfrom this source is practically eliminated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View, partly broken away, ofan unfinished ball. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating thecondition of the ball atan early stage in its manufacture. Fig. 3 is aView similar to Fig. 2, showing the ball at a later stage, but before itarrives at the Fig. 1 condition; and Fig. l shows the ball compressed tosize in heating and finishing dies.

In the several views similar parts are designated by similar letters ofreference.

l prefer to produce a compressed central piece or filling A of therequired size and shape by means of suitable dies. This central piece ispreferably somewhat too bulky for the capacity of the finished shell.Upon this center piece I apply a coating of material 13, as at Fig. 2,said coating completely enveloping the core A and consisting of a thickor dense solution of celluloid or composition thereof which is in such aplastic or liquid condition that it may be spread over the core in asubstantially even and somewhat thin layer. In practice I find that ifthis coating is one one-hundredth of an inch, more or less, in thicknessit may answer the purpose. The coating is then allowed to dry to asufficient extent, so that it can be handled safely. This drying effectsa preliminary seasoning of the coating material. It will be understoodthat the material dried out or evaporated from this coating cannot atthe subsequent heating and finishing operation work into the interior ofthe ball to the detriment thereof. When said coating B has becomesufficiently hardened, I apply a second coating C, Fig. 3, over theball, which in turn is allowed to dry until it attains the requiredfirmness. I then apply a third coating D, which is likewise allowed todry. In this manner one or more additional layers may be successivelyapplied, according to the styleof ball in hand. In practice I find thatthree layers, or at the most four layers, produce a shell ofsatisfactory qualities when the ball is intended for use in the game ofgolf, provided that the shell so built up is supported upon a center orcore of suitable material and having the proper firmness.

VThe ball thus built up is placed in finishingdies E and F, Fig. 4, andsubjected to both heat an'd compression. In practice I prefer that theball when placed in the dies shall be somewhat oversize, so that as thedie-sections are brought together they compress the ball, therebyeffecting a twofold purposefirst, to compress the core, so that it mayalways eXert an outward elastic pressure upon the finished shell, and,second, to subject the material of the shell to compression as well asheat, thereby solidifying the material of the shell itself, so that itmay have the qualities of resistance, firmness, indestructibility, andspringiness, which are desirable in a golf-ball. The heat and pressuremay be applied for a considerable period, so that the ball may be wellseasoned.`

The heating of the dies by softening the coatings B, C, and D not onlyinsures the kneadingor welding of such coatings into one integral shellG, but also facilitates the flowing of the material,so that theshape ofthe dies is imparted to the finished ball. After being removed from thepress the dies maybe allowed to cool before the balls are taken out, sothat the latter when removed are sufficiently hardened to retain theirshape. Thus it will be seen that the shell is made without any seam orjoint, and hence is well adapted at all points to withstand shocks fromthe blow vof an implement or from being driven against a stone. At thesame time the ball is not subject to internal deterioration fromthepresence of gas or other matter escaping into-the interiorof the ballduring the heating. Moreover, the necessity for first rolling thecelluloid into sheets and then cutting the sheetsinto disks and cuppingthem is avoided, and the trouble and expense of securing a perfect weldbetween the shell-joints are also avoided.

One important advantage of my celluloid shell resides in its quality ofretaining its original color throughout all the severe usage which itreceives in a game. Another advantage'resides in its springiness, sothat it is of material value in imparting liveliness t0 the ball orincreasing its fiying or driving power. It imparts to the ball asolidity, stiffness, and

- balls.

springiness which it has heretofore been found impracticable to secure.

My compressed core gives the shell a good backing at all points andtends t0 prevent such indentations of the shell by an implement as wouldcause the shell to crack.

My celluloid shell is not only practically indestructible, but is at thesame time so smooth that it offers little resistance to the air in itsHight. It drives farther than any ball heretofore produced, while onaccount of its slipperiness it easily travels through grass, andV ishence excellently adapted to the game.

My shell overcomes the defects of prior golf-balls of being easily cutby a blow from an implement. It is practically indestructi- -ble fromsuch causes. It cannot be knocked out of shape, as is the case withformer golf- It does not succumb to the heat of the hottest summer day,whereas prior golf-balls are softened and spoiled by warm weather.l

I believe I am the first either to inclose a core in a seamlesscelluloid shell or to compress such shell upon the core or to make arelatively thin shell of a number of celluloid layers successivelyapplied thereto and fused or welded together.

It will be understood that the resistance of the central mass at thecompressing operation furnishes a substantial support for sustaining therelatively thin shell against the pressure of the forming-dies andcooperates with the latter in producing the desired density or firm,tough, and springy texture of the shell.

In using the term compression herein as applied to the core or filling Irefer to the compressive tendency of the shell, which may or may not beaccompanied by a condensation of the bulk of the lling, the presence orabsence of such condensation depending upon the character of thematerial used and upon the degree of pressure employed in finishing theball. It is to be understood that in case condensation of the bulk ofthe filling takes place it is due to the presence of air-space orimpurities in the material. The shrinking of the celluloid shellcontinues for a very long `time after the ball is completed and evenafter it goes into the hands of the player and tends to reduce furtherthe capacity of the shell, so that the latter is still further strainedby tension upon or around the ball, and hence renders the ball moreeffective, while the filling becomes still more cramped or compressed oris more powerfully gripped by the shell, thus further enhancing theefficiency of the ball. When using the term seamless herein, I mean todistinguish between my celluloid shell and one made from hemisphericalor other segments which have seams extending in a radial direction, or,in other words, I mean that my said shell is radially seamless.

In using the .term celluloid7 I refer to celluloid compounds generallyand do not IOO IIO

limit myself to any particular variety of such compound nor to anyparticular grade or mixture of celluloid composition.

I usually pebble or score the exterior surface of golf-balls, theinterior surface of the (lies being provided with depressions at H forthis purpose. In billiard-balls, to which some features of my inventionare applicable, the outer surface should usually be a smooth and truesphere.

Variations in construction, material, method, and other particulars maybe resorted to within the scope of my present improvements.

The improved method or process herein set forth is made thesubject-matter of my pending application, Serial No. 83,355, liledNovember 23, 1901.

Having described my invention, I claiml. A playing-ball comprising anelastic lilling, and a hard, springy, substantial seamless shell formedfrom plastic material and compressed upori said iilling and powerfullygripping the latter.

2. A playing-ball comprising a relatively soft elastic iilling and acompressed seamless substantial celluloid shell.

3. A playing-ball comprising a filling held under compression by arelatively hard, springy, substantial, seamless shell.

4. A playing-ball comprising a soft lling held under compression by aseamless, substantial cell uloid shell.

5. A playing-ball having a filling consisting at least partially ofgutta-percha, and a substantial seamless shell formed atleast partiallyof plastic material and compressed upon said filling, and powerfullygripping the latter.

6. A playing-ball comprising an internal mass of gutta-percha and acompressed seamless celluloid shell thereon holding said guttaperchaunder compression.

7. A playing-ball comprising an internal mass of gutta-percha and aseamless celluloid shell, said gutta-percha being held under compressionby said shell.

8. A playing-ball comprising an elastic lling and a relatively thin,hard, springy shell consisting of a plurality of seamless layers andholding said filling under compression.

9. A`playing-ball comprising an elastic illing and a relatively thin,hard, compressed, sprin gy shell consisting of a plurality of layersWelded or fused together and holding said nlling under compression.

10. A playing-ball comprising an elastic filling and a relatively thin,springy shell consisting of a plurality of seamless layers Welded orfused together, said filling being softer than said shell.

11. A playing-ball comprising a relatively soft compressed elastic llingand a relatively thin, hard, springy shell consisting of a plurality oflayers formed from plastic material, said lling being held undercompression by said shell.

12. A playing-ball comprising a relatively soft, springy nucleus overwhich is compressed a seamless celluloid shell.

13. A playing-ball consisting of a relatively soft nucleus over-which iscompressed a shell consisting of a plurality of seamless layers, eachlayer consisting at least partially of celluloid.

14. A playing-ball having an internal mass of gutta-percha and arelatively thin, seamless celluloid shell compressed upon said mass andholding the latter under compression.

15. A playing-ball having an internal mass of gutta-percha aud arelatively thin shell consisting of several layers of celluloidcompressed upon said mass and holding the latter under compression.

16. A playin g-ball having an internal mass of yielding material and arelatively thin shell consisting of several seamless layers of celluloidcompressed and welded or joined together and holding said internal massunder compression.

17. A playing ball comprising a springy nucleus and a plurality of shelllayers formed of plastic material and powerfully gripping` said nucleus.

18. A playing-ball comprising a springy nucleus and a plurality of shelllayers formed of plastic material and powerfully gripping said nucleus,each of said layers consisting at least partially of celluloid.

ELEAZER KEMPSIIALL.

W'itnesses:

FRED. J. DOLE, B. C. STICKNEY.

